In order to prepare for my own horror poster construction, I will analyse the codes and conventions shown in an actual horror film poster, and then attempt to use and develop them in my own work.
The atmosphere of this poster is depressing and moody, contrasting with other horror posters that are incredibly dark and abstract. In this poster it is clear to see what is going on, there is a noose hanging from a tree which conveys suicide and death, possibly from guilt, or maybe acting as a warning to someone else. It is hanging from a dying tree, which itself conveys decay and disarray, possibly relating to the decay of the human mind, in which supernatural possessions can take place.
There is a house in the background standing detached from any other physical man-made structure, therefore not part of a suburban neighbourhood like in the Friday the 13th movies. This house conveys loneliness and a lack of security, which foreshadows a narrative in which victims hide in the house from an unstoppable force.
Usually in horror posters, there isn't this much light and open space, however this poster is filled with natural light. Albeit not a sunny day, it is overcast which reinforces the depressing tone of the poster, and implies that this is certainly not a happy film. The leaves on the ground and the bare tree suggest it is an autumnal season, which has connotations of everything getting colder, and the warmth and sunshine leaving, which could be connected to the dangerous events about to take place.The lack of leaves on the trees suggest there is nowhere to hide.
The title is in its conventional place at the top-middle of the page, and it is the most eye-catching part of the poster. It is in sans serif font which gives it a more noble, classical tone as compared to a bold, striking font. This aging font links to the old house shown in the background, which works to form a brand identity, that this is set in an old-era setting, even if it is set in the modern day. This makes the audience feel uneasy, as its going into uncharted territory for alot of people that aren't familiar with "old" things.
The principle cast and crew is shown in the bottom left, which is unconventional, as usually it is shown dead centre at the bottom. However, this is to make way for another object in the bottom right corner, which is a shadow of a girl hanging from the tree, despite not being shown physically hanging from the tree. This shows that something supernatural, paranormal and otherworldly is taking place, which is scary and confusing for the audience. The silhouette is black and covering the dying autumn leaves, which symbolises death, decay and abandonment.
This makes the audience question who the girl was, why she was determined to kill herself, and why she isn't shown in the physical realm and only in shadows. This entices the audience and attracts them into watching the full film. The date of the film's release is shown in the bottom left hand corner below the principle cast and crew, in larger white sans serif font, the same font as the title, but just in white and not black. The film doesn't contain any stars that can sell the film based on their inclusion, therefore at the top it says "FROM THE DIRECTOR OF INSIDIOUS" which acts as a way to entice horror film fans to watch this film, as they will want to watch something that is similar in quality to saw and insidious, two of the most popular horror films of the last decade.
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